Zmagovalce so izbrali oboževalci z glasovanjem na spletu, Lady Gaga je med drugim dobila nagrado za umetnico leta in posebno MTV-jevo nagrado tricon, z Ariano Grande pa si je delila tri nagrade za njuno uspešnico Rain on Me – za najboljšo pesem, sodelovanje leta in kinematografijo videospota.

Na podelitvi sta zvezdnici, ki sta zbrali vsaka po devet nominacij, nastopili tudi v živo, tako kot BTS, Miley Cyrus, Maluma, the Black Eyed Peas, med povabljenci pa so bili številni zvezdniki, kot sta Drew Barrymore in Kelly Clarkson.

Prireditev so sprva želeli organizirati v newyorški dvorani Barclays Center, nato pa so zaradi težav s pandemijo novega koronavirusa to idejo opustili in jo preselili na različne lokacije v New Yorku, vse pa je potekalo na prostem.

S petimi nagradami VMA, ki jih je zmagovalka večera sinoči dodala v svojo vitrino, se njihovo skupno število povzpelo na 18. Več jih imata le Beyonce (24) in Madonna (20).

Video leta:
Billie Eilish – "everything i wanted"
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – "Godzilla"
Future ft. Drake – "Life Is Good"
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – "Rain On Me"
Taylor Swift – "The Man"
The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights"

Umetnik leta:
DaBaby
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
Megan Thee Stallion
Post Malone
The Weeknd
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber - Stuck with U

Skladba leta:
Billie Eilish – "everything i wanted"
Doja Cat – "Say So"
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – "Rain On Me"
Megan Thee Stallion – "Savage"
Post Malone – "Circles"
Roddy Ricch – "The Box"

Najboljše sodelovanje:
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber – "Stuck with U"
Black Eyed Peas ft. J Balvin – "RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)"
Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid – "Beautiful People"
Future ft. Drake – "Life Is Good"
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – "Tusa"
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – "Rain On Me"
Doja Cat - Say So (Official Video)

Debi leta:
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Lewis Capaldi
Roddy Ricch
Tate McRae
YUNGBLUD

Najboljša zasedba:
BTS
Blackpink
Monsta X
Little Mix
5 Seconds of Summer
The 1975
Chloe x Halle
CNCO
Now United
Twenty One Pilots

Najboljši popvideo:
BTS – "On"
Halsey – "You should be sad"
Jonas Brothers – "What a Man Gotta Do"
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo – "Intentions"
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – "Rain On Me"
Taylor Swift – "Lover"
Eminem - Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD (Dir. by @_ColeBennett_)

Najboljši hiphopvideo:
DaBaby – "BOP"
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – "Godzilla"
Future ft. Drake – "Life Is Good"
Megan Thee Stallion – "Savage"
Roddy Ricch – "The Box"
Travis Scott – "HIGHEST IN THE ROOM"

Najboljši rockvideo:
blink-182 – "Happy Days"
Coldplay – "Orphans"
Evanescence – "Wasted On You"
Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean – "Dear Future Self (Hands Up)"
Green Day – "Oh Yeah!"
The Killers – "Caution"
Alicia Keys - Underdog (Official Video)

Najboljši alternativni video:
The 1975 – "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)"
All Time Low – "Some Kind Of Disaster"
FINNEAS – "Let's Fall in Love for the Night"
Lana Del Rey – "Doin' Time"
Machine Gun Kelly – "Bloody Valentine"
twenty one pilots – "Level of Concern"

Najboljši latinovideo:
Anuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin – "China"
Bad Bunny – "Yo Perreo Sola"
Black Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul – "MAMACITA"
J. Balvin – "Amarillo"
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – "Tusa"
Maluma ft. J Balvin – "Qué Pena"

Najboljši r&b video:
Alicia Keys – "Underdog"
Chloe x Halle – "Do It"
H.E.R. ft. YG – "Slide"
Khalid ft. Summer Walker – "Eleven"
Lizzo – "Cuz I Love You"
The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights"

Najboljši K-pop video:
(G)I-DLE – "Oh My God"
BTS – "On"
EXO – "Obsession"
Monsta X – "SOMEONE'S SOMEONE"
Tomorrow X Together – "9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)"
Red Velvet – "Psycho"

Najboljši domači video:
5 Seconds of Summer – "Wildflower"
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber – "Stuck with U"
blink-182 – "Happy Days"
Drake – "Toosie Slide"
John Legend – "Bigger Love"
twenty one pilots – "Level of Concern"

Najboljši karantenski nastop:
Chloe x Halle – "Do It" from MTV's Prom-Athon
CNCO – MTV Unplugged At Home
DJ D-Nice – Club MTV Presents: #DanceTogether
John Legend – #TogetherAtHome Concert Series
Lady Gaga – "Smile" from One World: Together At Home
Post Malone – Nirvana Tribute